Son of Influential Prince George’s Clergy Premieres Film July 10

Growing up in Prince George’s County, Md., Jimmy Jenkins envisioned vivid pictures and stories, but he didn’t know how to put them on paper.

The lucid mental images continued until one night in college when Jenkins thought, “If somebody was in my head watching this right now, their life would be changed.”

That night in 2011, Jenkins decided to write his first theatrical production. Now, at just 23 years old after producing three stage plays, Jenkins has produced and directed his first feature film, Transpose: The Movie.”

Transpose: The Movie is an inspirational film about two families—a father and daughter, and a married couple—who are placed in neighboring hospital rooms, separated only by a curtain between them. Although they can’t see each other, they confide with each other about the pain caused by their loved ones’ respective diseases.

The families learn that if you step out on faith, divine intervention is real.

Jimmy Jenkins directs hospital scene.

The son of Pastor John K. Jenkins and first lady Trina Jenkins of the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, Jenkins grew up watching his parents influence the community through their ministry, and knew that he also wanted to have a positive impact on the community. Jenkins graduated from Charles Herbert Flowers High School in 2009 and was headed to college on a football scholarship. But when his athletic ambitions at Salisbury University were derailed by a serious injury, he decided to focus on media production.In 2011, Jenkins founded United Empire, a production company, with friends Irvin Jones and Chad Wilson. The company specializes in stage and film production and music development, and also supports youth athletic teams and development camps.

After experiencing success with Transpose: The Orchestrator at the D.C. Black Theatre Festival, Jenkins decided to adapt the play into a feature film. The young filmmaker encountered many challenges producing his first feature movie. He didn’t have the money or experience to attract seasoned professionals, but Jenkins, along with cinematographer Tyler Aryai, made it work.

Filmaker talks with cinematographer.

“When I first started doing my film, everybody told me, ‘No.’ They said, ‘You’re too young to make a film. You might be making a music video, but you’re not making a movie.’ The biggest thing for me was to get people to truly believe that I was going to do it,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins said he has produced a film that will encourage people of all ages to chase their dreams.

“It’s a story that you can take away something and it can change your life. I want to impact a multitude of people,” said Jenkins. “Everyone thought I was going to be a pastor like my dad. Now, I’m a pastor; I just have a different pulpit.”

Transpose: The Movie will premiere on July 10 at the AMC Magic Johnson Capital Center 12 theater in Largo, Md. Public screenings of the film will be held on July 18-19 and Aug. 8-9 at Charles Flowers High School in Springdale, Md. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit TransposeTheMovie.com.